Cutting die



K. w. CARLL CUTTING DIE 'Filed Dec. 3. 1941 March 16, 1943.

Patented Mar. 16, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GUTTIN G DIE -Kenneth W. Carll, Boston, Mass. Application December 3, 1941, Serial No. 421,429

2 Claims. (01. 16418) This invention relates to a cutting die and particularly to a multiple cutting die.

Thisinvention has for an object to provide a novel and improved multiple cutting die particularly adapted for use in simultaneously cutting a plurality of labels or the like from a printed sheet thereof in which provision is made for accurately registering the individual die memtered in the manufacture and maintenance of prior multiple dies are reduced to a minimum.

With this general object in view, and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the multiple cutting die and in the .various structures, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawing illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. l is a perspective view of a multiple cutting die embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view through one of the individual die members showing the adjustable mounting therefor; Fig. 3 is a view illustrating various shapes of openings which may be provided in the die supporting member foradjustment thereof; and, Figs. 4 and vation respectively of details of structure, to be referred to, the sections beingtaken on the lines,

4-4 of-Fig. 5, and 5--5 of Fig. 4, respectively.

In general, the present invention contemplates an improved multiple cutting die of the. steel rule type employed in cutting labels or the like from aprinted sheet thereof. Heretofore, as far as I am aware, such multiple cutting dies comprised an integral block or supporting member in which the individual diemembers comprising the steel rule cutting. bands were non-adjustably mounted and in spaced relation to conform to the individua1 printed labels or other matter to be cut out of the sheet. c

The procedure followed in making up such prior dies was to lay out the outline of the labels of the printed sheet upon a board, such as ply wood. The outlines were then cut with a jig saw, the width of the saw out being equal to the thickness of the steel cutting band, whereupon the cutting bands, shaped to conform with the outlines of the printed labels, were forced into the saw kerfs provided therefor. Thus, each cutting band or individual die member was permanently fixed in the base board or supporting member in accordance with-the position of the several labels making up the original printed sheet. Therefore, it will be seen than any variance or lack of uniformity in successive printed sheets would cause defective registration and render the multiple die practically useless. Such variance in the printed sheet is common where the paper sheet is exposed to varying atmospheric conditions causing the sheet to either shrink or stretch. Furthermore, any slight error of the diemaker in positioning one of the die members with relation to the others was difiicult to correct.

Several expedients have heretofore been used to correct such lack of registration, one of which comprised cutting out an entire die member from the integral block and then providing shims in the saw cuts to move the defectively registered die into proper registration. This method en-v tailed a great deal of labor and increased the cost of the die. Another expedient formerly employed was to bend the extended portion of the cutting band slightly into conformity. with the printed labels. This latter expedient required the die steel to be untempered to enable themto be bent so that the life of the die was relatively short. i i

In accordance with one feature of the present invention, the individual die members of the mule 3i tiple die are mounted and arranged so as tobe capable of being moved with relation to each other and with relation to their common support in order to properly register the individual dies, so

that the difficulties formerly encountered may be easily and simply corrected, and the time, ex-

pended and labor cost involved in making up the multiple die may be reduced to a minimum. Furthermore, since the expedient of bending the ex-.

tended portions of the die members is no longer necessary, the cutting bands may be tempered so as to substantially lengthen the life of the die.

member so that the bottom edges of the cutting bands were disposed substantially flush with the bottom of the base board or supporting member. Thus, in operation, when the die was placed on the bed plate of the die press the bottom edges of the cutting bands engaged the metal bed plate so that during the cutting process the bearing pressure occurred directly against the relatively rigid bed plate. With this prior structure, extremely accurate and careful adjustment of the :bed plate with relation to the movable platen,

upon which the sheets to be out were placed, was required in order to prevent injury to the cutting edges of the die members when the metal platen was moved into operative relation to the die.

In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the multiple die is constructed and arranged so that the bottom edges of the steel rule or cutting bands bear against a relatively yieldable base board, upon which the individual die members are movably mounted. Thus, the relatively yieldable base board, disposed between the metal bed plate and the bottom edges of the cutting bands, provides a cushioning effect whereby adjustment is facilitatedand likelihood of injury to the cutting edges of the die, when the platen is moved into operative relation thereto, is reduced to a minimum.

Referring now to the drawing Iii represents a multiple die unit comprising a base board or supporting member l2 upon which a plurality of individual die members, indicated generally at M, are movably mounted. In its commercial form, thebase board l2 may and preferably will comprise a sheet of fibrous composition, such as that available under the trade name of Tempered Masonite which, although relatively rigid for all practical purposes is capable of yielding slightly when subjected to a relatively great pressurersuch' as that effected during the cutting operation, so as to provide a slight cushioning effect for the die members 14,

As herein shown, each individual die member l4 comprises a supporting block id preferably comprising a fibrous composition in which is mounted a relativelythin steel cutting band l8 made from a strip of metal known in the trade as.ste'el rule. As illustrated in Fig. 1, each cutting band l8 comprises an endless knife, shaped to conform to the outline of one of the'severed printed labels. comprising the sheet, and which is inserted into a saw kerf 29 provided in the supporting block it. As shown in Fig. 2 the cutting edge of the band extends a substantial distance above the upper surface of the block, and the lower edge of the band is disposed substantially flush with the bottom of its supporting block l8 so that in operation the lower edge of the band will bear against the base board l2.

.In themanufacture of the .die block, in some instances, particularly when a relatively small or substantially circular cutting band is to be supported in the block, an endless saw cut 20 is madeso that. the interior portion 22 of the die block is entirely separated from the remainder of the block. Thereupon, in assembling the die,

the cutting band may be placed in the opening and the interior portion 22 replaced, the relative proportions, of the parts being, such as to grip the endless knife between the block members. In other instances, the saw cuts may be. terminated in. spaced drilled-holes 2'4 provided at convenient intervals in order to maintain the interior portion .22 integral with the remainder of the block. As .illlustrated in Figs. 4 and ;5, this procedure provides connecting portions .26 which are arranged to be straddled or bridged over by the endless cutting blade 18 by providing ,cut out portions 28 therein. The blade I8 is then forced into the saw cuts to be firmly held by the frictional engagement with the block. In practice, the cutting band it is made froma straight piece of steel rule stock and bent to conform to the outline of the label to be cut, the ends of the steel rule being preferably butted to provide a seam, as indicated at it in Fig. 1, and held in contiguous and endless engagement in the block by the frictional engagement therewith. If desired, the ends of the band may be joined in any well known manner such as by soldering or welding to provide an integral endless band, as described.

It will be understood that the particular shapes or outlines of the cutting bands shown are merely illustrative and that diiferent shapes may be provided in the multiple die to conform to the sheet to be cut. Each individual die block it is adjustably mounted on the base board, l2 and, as herein shown, the latter is provided with a plurality of tapped holes 36 arranged to receive threaded bolts 32, provided with washers 3 5, and which extend through openings 36 provided in each supporting block it. The openings may take various forms, the preferred form 36 comprising a cross-slot formation designed to permit adjustment of the block laterally or longitudinally of the base board E2. The central portion of the cross-slot formation may preferably be made large enough to provide such clearance about the bolt 32 as to also permit some diagonal'rnovement of the block. Modified forms In operation, each individual die member M' is accurately adjusted to register withits respective label and the bolts 32 tightened to maintain the blocks in their adjusted position. In the preferred form of the invention, a single bolt 32 only is provided for each die block, thefrictional contact of the block with the base board being sufiicient to prevent lateral displacement. In some instances however, it may be desired to provide additional means for preventing lateral displacement in which case a second bolt and slot may be provided, or, as illustrated in Fig. 1, where the space within the confines of the cutting band is limited, a pin or nail '46 maybe driven through the block into the base board leaving the top of the nail extended to permit withdrawal thereof and movement'of the block when subsequent adjustment is required. Al,- through the base board I2 has been described as comprising a fibrous composition, it will be understood that other suitable nailable materials may be employed, and, where nailing is not required, the base may comprise a sheet of metal;

As illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, in practice, rubber pieces .8 may be attached to the die block it adjacent the cutting bands l8 and extending above the cutting edge so that, in operation, the sheet and the labels cut therefrom are stripped from the dies by the yielding pressure printed sheets into engagement with the die and return whereupon the cut out labels are removed and a new set of sheets are placed on the platen.

From the description thus far it will be observed that as a result of the novel structure of the present multiple die many economies in manfacture may be effected, and many advantages in operation and maintenance are gained as compared with the fixed die members of the prior art. In the manufacture of the present multiple die, each die member may be individually made to conform to its respective label or other printed indicia without reference to the spaced relation of the plurality of labels on the large printed sheet thereof. It will be apparent that the handling of a relatively small block, having asingle label outlined thereon, is easier to cut and conducive to greater accuracy during the saw cutting process than the manipulation of a relatively large board having a plurality of labels outlined thereon for saw cutting. Thus, the time involved in laying out and cutting the label outlines in the die block is substantially reduced and the probability of error is reduced to a minimum. Also, where two or more die blocks of a set are to be identical, a plurality thereof may be sawed in one operation thus insuring uniformity and efiecting economy in production.

In assembling the individual die members upon the base board E2 the tapped holes 3% may be located appoximately in accordance with the spaced relationship of the printed labels on the sheet to be cut and all necessary adjustments of the die blocks for accurate registration with the labels may be made during the assembling operation. A plurality of tapped holes may be provided in a base board so that the same board may be used for different set-ups, thus effecting a saving in labor and materials. It will also be apparent that individual die members may be easily replaced as they become worn and that a die member for one shape of label may be interchangeable in the base with a die member of a diiferent shape.

In practice, the thickness of the base board l2 and the supporting member I6 are each conveniently made one half the thickness of the prior supporting block so that the new multiple die units are interchangeable in the die press with the prior units. It will also be observed that the present cutting bands may be made substantially shorter in height than the prior cutting bands since the present bands rest against the base board [2, thus effecting an economy in metal.

The base board 12 is preferably constructed so as to have sufiicient stability to enable it to withstand lateral clamping pressure when set up in the chase without distortion of the board. However, in some instances reinforcing strips (not shown) may be provided along the top marginal edges of the board to make up to the height of the adjacent clamping members in the chase whereby to provide additional bearing surface therefor and to minimize the likelihood of distortion of the board during the clamping operation.

From the above description it will be seen that any variations in successive batches of printed sheets or any errors of adjustment of individual die members may be quickly and easily corrected. It will also be seen that the present mounting of the die blocks permits the individual cutting bands to be tempered thus prolonging the life of the multiple die unit. It will be further observed that the base board l2 disposed between the bed plate of the die press and the bottom edges of the cutting band serves to provide a cushioning effect for the bands, sufficient to correct or compensate for any slight error of adjustment between the bed plate and the platen of the die press, thus increasing the eiiiciency of the multiple die unit. While an endless cutting band has been herein illustrated it will be apparent that other types of cutting blades may be used.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A multiple cutting die for simultaneously cutting a plurality of spaced portions from a printed sheet in registry with the printing on said sheet, said die comprising a base member, a plurality of individual cutting members mounted on one surface of said base member, each of said cutting members including a supporting block provided with an endless saw kerf extending entirely through said block to provide an inner cut out portion and an outer portion, a thin metallic cutting blade positioned in said saw kerf between said inner cut out portion and said outer portion and gripped between said portions, said cutting blade having its base portion bearing against said surface of said base member and having a sharpened edge extending beyond said supporting block to form a closed cutting element, said cutting members each being mounted on said base member for limited movement along said surface of said base member to provide for registering said cutting elements with the printing on said printed sheet and means for rigidly securing said cutting members in registered position to said base member,

2. A multiple cutting die for simultaneously cutting a plurality of spaced portions from a printed sheet in registry with the printing on said sheet, said die comprising a base member of compact fibrous material, a plurality of individual cutting members mounted on said base member, each of said cutting members including a supporting block of compact fibrous material, provided with an endless saw kerf extending entirely through said block to provide an inner cut out portion and an outer portion, a thin metallic cutting blade positioned in said saw kerf between said inner cut out portion and said outer portion so as to be gripped between said portions, said cutting blades having its base portion bearing against said surface of said base member and having a sharpened edge extending beyond said supporting block to form a closed cutting element, said cutting members each being mounted on said base member to provide for registering said cutting elements with the printing on said printed sheet and means comprising a threaded member extending through an enlarged opening in said inner cut out portion and threaded into an aperture in said base member for rigidly securing each of said cutting members in registered position to said .base member.

KENNETH W. CARLL. 

